Improved spring bed-bottom



' UNITED STATES` PATENT OFFICE.

J. r. xNoWLEs, OE LocKroRT, AssIGNoR To IIIMsELE, AND II. E.

WARREN, or soUTH PEKIN, NEvvT YORK.

IMPROVED SPRING BED-BOTTOM.

Specilicaton forming part of Letters Patent No. 35.763, dated July l,lfiQ.

` ing a part of this specification-'- Figure l being a plan of the underside of my improved spring bedbottom; and Fig. 2,

- an edge View of the same,showing,also, a portion ofthe bedstead towhich it is applied.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in both figures.

My improvements relate to the bottom on which the mattress rests; andthe object of the invention is to produce a more perfect and equalizedelasticity in the same,and also to arrange it so that it may be adjustedand adapted to the occupancy of two persons of unequal weight withoutbeing depressed on one side more than on the other, or, in other words,so that it shall always preserve thefdesired plane surface in allconditions.

The upper surface of the bed-bottom is co mpcsed ofthe ordinarylongitudinal slats, A A A, which are connected at the opposite ends bycross pieces or cleats B B, that at the foot being usually on the top ofthe slats, which are secured to it loosely by pins a a.

Under the slats at each side andin the middle, and intermediately, ifdesired, are respectively situated longitudinal strips C C C, usuallymade of wood, extending from head to foot,of suitable sizefor thepurpose designed, and forming springs of suflicient elasticity to allowconsiderable action, as will presently be described. At the head of thebed-bottom these strips are connected by a crossoleat, D, between whichand the cleat of theslats are situatedasuitable number of volute coiledsprings,E E E, the slats and strips being situated at a proper distanceapart, as represented, to secure t-he desired ef fect. rIhe ends of thetwo head-cleats are connected by strips of cloth,b b,in the usualmanner. The ends of the strips C C C converge with the slats at thesfootof thebed-bottom, (the extremities thereof meeting,) to the cleat ofwhich they are respectively secured by screwbolts G G, passing throughboth, being of sufficient length to allow some adjustment of the ends ofthe strips and having nuts c c turning thereon, by which the parts areheld and adjusted.

In the angle formed by the ends of the slats and strips at the foot ofthe bed-bottom, and at asuitable distance from the end,are situated twosliding and ladjusting blocks, H H, substantially of the shaperepresented-that is,of a length reaching transversely of the bed-bottomfrom the center strip to the outside one-- on which the endsrespectively rest, and of aV thickness iilling the space in which they:rest between the slats and strips. The blocks slide forward andback-ward, as indicated by the arrow, Fig. l, for the purpose ofadjustment, as

will presently be described. l

Instead of being arranged as above described,

th'e wholeblock being movable forward or back,

the inner ends maybe pivoted to the center strip, the outer ends onlybeing movable, or, with a similar effect, a single block only may beused, extending entirely across the bedbottoni, and the desiredadjustment accomplished by inclining it diagonally or obliqu'ely to asuitable extent.

The following are some of the useful effects resulting from my improvedarrangement vabove described: rIhe bed-bottom has a com pound elasticityorspring-viz., that'produced by means of the coiled spring E E E at thehead and that of the slats A A themselves, which are sufficiently thinfor the purpose, and that produced through the elastic strips C O C,which support the slats. In this action the sliding blocks H H serve asfulcra, over which the slats,aeting as levers, rest. NVhen y weight isapplied to the slats, the force transferred to the fulcra causes thestrips C C C to spring and the parts assume the position indicated byred lines in Fig. 2.

The great elasticity and ease of a bed-bottom constructed in this manneris apparent. By its use the stiffness and unyielding action of ordinaryspring bed-bottoms is avoided.

The slidingblocks H H, by being movable forward and back in the angle,give a greater or less degree of rigidity or tautness to the slats byhaving a tendency to straighten them longitudinally, and thus by movingeither one of them the corresponding side of the bed-bota toni isadjusted to greater or less stiffness, as may be desired, independentlyof the other side. The effectthus accomplished is oi' great importancewhere persons of unequal Weight occupy the same bed, the inclining ofthebed or the unequal sagging being thus obviated.

By means of the screw-bolt G the ends of the slats and the elasticstrips may be separated to a greater or less extent, thus increasing orlessening the angles between them, as may be desirable. rIhis adjustmentis necessary in long use to keep the blocks in proper position relativeto the other parts.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The. elastic strips C C C, in combination with the slats A A A,coiled springs E E E, and adjusting-blocks H H, the whole arranged andoperating substantially as herein set forth.

2. In combination with the above,the screwbolts G G,for adjusting theends of the slats and strips, arranged substantially as specied.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence-0i twosubscribing witnesses.

Witnesses:

A. H. EASTMAN, ORRIN ADAMs.

